Friday 14 November 2014

Scarborough!

If you're reading this, it means that I am not able to post right now. The time in Japan is going to be VERY busy and I'm not anticipating much time to sit and compose posts, or visit everyone's blogs, even though I will do my best!  (I'll certainly read comments at every opportunity though.)  In case not, I have scheduled a few more posts which might just remind you of summer. 

There is still so much to say about our cycle trip. We went to so many places but I seemed to get stuck on Yorkshire.  And, in fact, I'm still stuck on Yorkshire!  Because I did want to write about Scarborough, Yorks, which we found most interesting.  Before the 1930s,and even beyond, this famous seaside town was smart and fashionable, and there's enough left of that to help you realise it really was a spectacular place, with yamazing scenery and everything (such as cliff railways, a spa, golden sands, even a castle) that the j and 20th century holidaymaker could desire.

When we arrived, we strolled along to the renovated spa buildings, where a first rate Hammond Organist was playing on the terrace. Glass screens block out the wind and allow a view of the sea through the columns, so it was surprisingly cosy down there.  The audience gradually increased as time went on.   

.  
We also climbed up to the castle, which also has good views.  


and we looked around the town quite thoroughly before deciding that Scarborough potentially has so much, but it is certainly lacking something at the moment.

TLC, perhaps.

There's been renovation and updating but somehow it doesn't come together and the overwhelming feeling is of a super place that is crying out for help, appealing to not quite the right market or something.  So, despite it being midday in midsummer, the rest of that lovely spa building was shut, so if you didn't like Hammond Organs, there was nothing else to do there.   The fabulous cliffside gardens near our hotel were overgrown with weeds. Dinky Victorian shops nearby were closed (this Colonial Outfitters was on a street almost white with bird droppings and dive bombed by huge scary feral flocks of screaming gulls, a most miserable place. Why couldn't they do something to persuade these ferocious hordes of birds to go elsewhere? )


Wake up, Scarborough!   

 I particularly noticed the Grand Hotel, which was once a posh, over-the-top High Victorian hotel, with seven stories for seven days of the week, four towers for four seasons and 365 bedrooms. Its splendiferous interiors still exist, and faded 1950s photos on the wall show it in its luxurious heyday - but the town's flagship hotel now scores lousy ratings on Tripadvisor and has been done for food hygiene failures more than once. (read more here and here

During our visit a filthy overflowing rubbish skip stood right by the front entrance. And take a look in this ballroom. At first it looks fine....


then you see the black mould all over the walls....


Perhaps I shouldn't be too negative.  Some of the guests think the hotel has great entertainment, even if they don't necessarily love the food or cobwebs.  Anyway, the bottom line is that Scarborough isn't suited to being downmarket, and it is obviously waiting for some major project to pull some well off customers and money in, so it can turn its fortunes round like Margate has done. 

 Meanwhile, there is always the sea, and lots of people do like to go there for their holidays.  It was fascinating just sitting and watching them all.




The weather looks a bit grey but actually it was warm enough.


And people were doing the traditional things British people always do at the seaside. 



Fun! 



We stayed at the Crown Spa hotel, which was built in 1844, just at the start of Scarborough's rise to popularity.  It has huge sea views and is not as expensive as it looks, so it's a real bargain - it's well decorated, the facilities are good, we had a classy meal there and the staff were charming.

So we really enjoyed Scarborough - and many residents are doing their best for it.  I hope they can manage to attract some sort of cultural icon to the town, spruce up the bad bits and capitalise on its Victorian heritage to turn it back into the place it should be. 

43 comments:

  1. It would seem that this spot has all the makings for a re-birth as a tourist mecca, if only someone would get the ball rolling.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tend to agree with you about Scarborough - it does need some TLC, like many seaside towns. And I don't know why anyone bothers with the Grand Hotel - wonderful building, some of the worst service ever. That said, the place has lots going for it, the castle is great (did you spot the ghost of Piers Gaveston?) and we were introduced to a wonderful Italian restauant. Hope Japan is going well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mike. The restaurant in the Crown Spa hotel was also very good and excellent value. Scarborough could be a real jewel I think.

      Delete
  3. Nice insight into a place that I might never go, but at least will recognize when someone talks about it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely post. Looking forward to your Japan posts.



    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>

    "Let silence take you to the core of life." ~Rumi

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good and bad news from Scarborough, i see. Bad news that it isn't up to potential, good news that people still want to go there, so it has the hope of being brought up there!

    ReplyDelete
  6. An interesting and thoughtful post, Jenny. Such beautiful old buildings, especially the pavilion on the Terrace where the organ is located. It is sad about the Grand Hotel, and it happens in many resorts of yesteryear. We have been to mountain resorts with similar grand pasts, now falling into neglect. Times change and some places do need to 'wake up', and change things. Your posts reminds me of the TV series I enjoyed about the Country Homes of England which have become unfinancial and need to be rescued by injecting new ideas and capitalising on what they have.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I felt Scarborough was making efforts but somehow they weren't coming together. It clearly has huge potential but I don't envy those who certainly are struggling to get the town back on track.

      Delete
  7. What is happening to Scarborough is happening to many seaside areas here. Because of the economy and storms, some have not been able to come back to the once grand towns they used to be. I hope investors see the opportunity to bringing back Scarborough to the place it once was.

    I could not help but hear Simon and Garfingle singing in my head while reading your post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had forgotten they recorded Scarborough fair! "

      Delete
  8. Dear Jenny, this post has brought back so many memories for me! For several years in a row, my late husband and I spent our summer holidays in "Scarbie", as we called it. We loved it much; it was childhood memories for Steve, and together, we created new memories. We were always sad to see many shops, hotels, restaurants etc. either in a very neglected state or boarded up altogether, and wondered about what could be done to bring it back to its former glory. My favourite places were up on Oliver's Mount and on the headland of Scarborough Castle - wide open spaces! Also, the Italian Gardens (off the Esplanade) were beautiful and generally well kept.
    I have not been back since he died and possibly never will, but I do like to know what's going on there these days.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's a number of years since we visited Scarborough. It was run down back then but had a certain something about it making it special.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I haven't been to Scarborough since a geography field course. And all I remember of that is rescuing a couple who had driven their car onto the beach for a bit of hanky-panky and got stuck. So our geography teacher (who was terrifying) gathered all her 'gels' around the car and we lifted off the beach!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. It is sad when decay sets in. I have never been to Scarborough but I have friends who love the beach there. Your photographs are good, I like the arial views.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Its not easy to imagine there is any place in Britain that isn't kept up well. The nostalgia and what could be you bring out well without being too critical. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. A shame to see a Grande Dame like Scarborough go down like that, perhaps it will be rescued.
    Hope you're still enjoying yourself in Japan.
    My daughter said she heard White Christmas being played as she went shopping last weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I don't mind grey when the weather is warm, and not freezing, like it's been here! Your not being able to post makes good for us, so we can catch up on the lovely sights you've seen!

    ReplyDelete
  15. It's sad to see the decline of a fine old town, which I once knew well. When I saw your post title I thought I'd just missed you, as I was there last week.
    Do you know the Sitwell's old place, up in the Ravine? (Assuming it's still there.)

    ReplyDelete
  16. So not Scarborough fair then? (With apologies for those who are not aware of the song).

    ReplyDelete
  17. Those areas seem so depressing. Let's hope something positive is done to rectify the problems.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Looks like you always have a wonderful trip even with mold!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I haven’t been to Scarborough for years but I have very pleasant memories of our visits. Thanks for reminding me.

    ReplyDelete
  20. It seems like a potentially pretty place, but black mould... yuck yuck yuck!

    At least it's doing better than Toronto's suburb Scarborough, which is famous for its high crime rate and other problems associated with low income and high-density housing.

    ReplyDelete
  21. You always get to go visit the most interesting and beautiful places!

    That's terrible about the mold on the hotel walls. You'd think they would want to clean that up (along with the cobwebs and food!) due to complaints. That's too bad they don't.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Sad the town has gotten so shabby. It sure looks like it has potential.

    Darla

    ReplyDelete
  23. Poor Scarborough. It probably has its fate in common with many British seaside towns.
    British weather doesn’t help.

    ReplyDelete
  24. The most important thing is not to update your blog or visit others but to have a good time in Japan. I can't wait to see your photos and read your stories.

    Greetings from London.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Unfortunately a lot of once-thriving British seaside resorts are struggling to keep their heads above water now that so many people prefer foreign holidays. I remember many years ago I used to visit Hastings and it was pretty forlorn and down-at-heel even then. As you say, places like Margate seem to have somehow bucked the trend and re-invented themselves, which takes some doing.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Dear Jenny - I have known the name “Scarborough” by the beautiful music “Scarborough Fair” and now I understand it a beautiful historical seaside city which needs some more driving-force to attract and welcome more people. Nara City was so even with so many historical assets decades ago. The traditional British thing at the seaside reminded me of Ibusuki’s sand baths which utilize hot springs right beside the ocean; it’s like sauna in the sand.

    I remember when your cycling tour was completed, your departure to Japan was around the corner. You came and travelled about one month Pan Pacific region. Isn’t it amazing? You look enthusiastic almost to everything of your interests, while I may be passionate in some respect but with much slower pace. Preparing posts for your absent time, posting and commenting during the tour is not the thing many people can do. On returning, have enough rest. In a meantime, we will listen to your souvenir talks.

    Yoko

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How I would like to visit Inusuki's sand baths. They sound amazing. I would actually like to post some more but I have had a problem with my technology (as usual, it seems) and it takes a very long time indeed to compose a post. So I have now accepted that it is not practical to do it right now.

      Delete
  27. I've never been there but the sea scenes of a British summer are very nostalgic for me. Thank you and hope you're having a great trip.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Konnichiwa, Jenny-san (I figure you've been hearing that for a quite some time now in Japan).

    Scarborough seems like an interesting, though currently sad, little town. I've been to York but never managed to make it to the seaside. Anyhow, your photos of those families kicking about in the sand just goes to show, one doesn't need entertainment options whilst on the beach!

    Your description of the decaying town brings to mind images of Detroit. There the lovely, old theater that is in ruins but maintains a crumbling grandeur. I had a friend who decided to do some "urban spelunking" in Detroit. It seemed like an adventure until whatever mold and spores were in the walls got her really sick for weeks! That sort of put me off any kind of photographic spelunking myself ...

    Looking forward to more of your experiences in Japan.

    - Jenny

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi human, Jenny,

    I adore Scarborough and your wondrous photos captured the ambience I remember from when I was just a pup. I love the beach there. I sea the beach in your photos and that's for shore :)

    Thank you for this, my dear human friend.

    Pawsitive wishes,

    Penny :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. .AJ, I don't suppose you will read this but I accidentally deleted your comment on this. I want to reply to it so perhaps you can repost. But in response to what I remember you wrote,, the Stephen Joseph theatre didn't have a play on during our visit, and although the Rotunda looked interesting and well maintained, I am not very interested in geology and so it was one of the things I didn't do - it does have good reviews though it is very small. We walked in several gardens but Peasholm Park was right at the other end of town and that wasn't one of them.. I've looked it up and it does seem very special but I saw nothing about it in the tourist office. Perhaps if I had been able to visit all
    these things I would have formed a slightly different impression but I think essentially I would have felt the same,that Scarborough has amazing things going for it, potentially, and is potentially a magnificent resort - but it doesn't quite add up yet, and probably needs something fairly radical to give it the vital push. I really think that doing something about the pigeons would help, also getting something interesting happening in the Spa, which was expensively restored with the aid of grants recently but was pretty dead during my visit.
    But I know it's hard.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MorningAJ has left a new comment on the post "Scarborough!":

      What, no visit to the Rotunda museum? No stroll around Peasholm Park? No noticing the wonderful public art that's being installed around town? No mention of Alan Aykbourn's Theatre? By concentrating on the Grand (which was taken over by Butlins in the 1980s so can't actually help itself) and the "huge scary feral flocks of screaming gulls" (Do you know I've never been dive-bombed by gulls in Scarborough unless I was feeding them chips!) I think you completely passed over the cultural icons.

      Delete
  31. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope, that's just the average Englsh midsummer weather!

      Delete
  32. I have never been to Scarborough...That said, it looked a bit...well, cold! You know what: I still have so many places to go to that a lifetime might not be enough...Let's get started!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi Jenny, lovely to read this post. I was really interested in your first photo, of the renovated spa building. I like that it is glassed in as wind protection... could imagine how nice it'd be to sit and view the scenery and listen to music.
    I love the beach scenes too - children always love playing in the sand don't they.
    It's nice to catch up with you again and thank you for visiting while I was away too. Cheers now and enjoy your current travels :D)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thank you for all the comments, I read and enjoyed them when I was away but I couldn't reply to them or post anything. (I'll be posting soon.)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Again, I thought I'd commented on this post...sorry. I love the photos...everyone one of them. :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. Are you in Japan now or already back?

    We visited Japan a week plus ago, and enjoyed our vacation tremendously. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i am back and swamped with work catch ups but the photos are nearly sorted and I have a new header taken in Japan at least! :)

      Delete

Blog Archive